The present invention relates to a fish habitat suitable for use in fishing wherein the device can be submerged in bodies of fresh water or sea water. The fish habitat according to the invention, once submerged attracts fish and provides a habitat for them.
Fish habitats are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,916,845 to Aydelette, Sr. describes a device that includes a plurality of spaced apart disks located on a shaft 28. The shaft includes an anchor at the bottom for maintaining the device on the floor of the river or lake. The anchor includes a perforated container for a weighting material and bait. A buoy is connected to the upper end of shaft 28 to locate the fish habitat.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,727,672 to Hill, et al. includes a stem member 44 and dependent leaf like structures 64. U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,829 to Roberts, et al. discloses a device which simulates a tree stump to provide a habitat for fish to congregate. The device includes an outer textured wall that resembles the bark on a tree trunk and an inner chamber secured to the outer textured wall. A structure for deploying the device within a body of water is secured to the inner chamber.
In addition to the above devices, there are numerous teachings in the art of artificial habitats, including artificial reefs. U.S. Pat. No. 3,933,124 (Ledoux, et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,212,268 (Chapman), U.S. Pat. No. 4,441,453 (McMickle, et al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,860,690 (De Santo, et al.) exemplify such structures. Ledoux, et al. create an artificial habitat by depositing helicoidal elements on the floor of the sea or fresh water body. Chapman discloses a totally artificial environment for small crustaceans. McMickle, et al. disclose a plurality of devices having individual strands of a buoyant material attached to an anchor. The devices are deposited on the bed of the water body to form a habitat. De Santo, et al. teach a marina dock and habitat dock located below a dock structure. Willinger, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,118,424, relates to a spawning device consisting of strands secured to a holding means and floatation means.
Artificial reefs for fish are also known. U.S. Pat. No. 4,334,499 to Baass uses a tire filled with concrete to form the artificial reef. U.S. Pat. No. 3,561,694 (Ishida), U.S. Pat. No. 4,316,431 (Kimura), U.S. Pat. No. 4,913,094 (Jones, et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,947,791 (Laier, et al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,362 (Jimbo) exemplify other artificial habitats. Some of these devices require exact placement of the habitat on the bed or floor of the water body. This necessitates the use of a diver who must enter the water and physically construct the habitat. This is time consuming and expensive.
A synthetic reef with flexible base material and elongated fronds is shown in Bromley U.S. Pat. No. 3,540,415. In that patent, the reef which is laid as a large connected mesh bed will not conform well to uneven lake bed topography. A further disadvantage is that the bed may lift and move about due to tidal and wave action, and the strands and bed may even be pulled out by anchors fouling in the base material. The anchor means for the synthetic reef comprises a plurality of weights which are dropped onto the submerged bed.
Other prior art habitats either lay unmoving as debris on the water bed or floor of the body or float on the surface, subject to degradation and damage through drift and winter freezing.
The fish habitat device of the present invention is lightweight, can be easily placed at a desired location and avoids the disadvantages of the fish habitat device of the prior art.